A system and method for providing data services using idle cell resources

Providing data services using idle cell capacity in a cellular communications system. The system and method assign priorities to each remote user device in the cellular communications system. In response to a request for service for a remote user device, the mobile switch determines whether an idle channel is available for the remote user device. If no idle channel is available, the mobile switch determines whether a remote user device with a lower priority than the requesting remote user device is using a channel. If a lower priority remote user is using a channel, its call is terminated and the channel is assigned to the requesting remote user device. If no lower priority remote user device is using a channel, the request for service is put into an ordered queue to wait for the next available idle channel.